The House that Dripped Blood

"The House that Dripped Blood" (1971, Peter Duffell, Amicus Productions) is a British horror anthology about a cursed house which sees the strange and unusual deaths of its inhabitants. I actually watched it as part of my personal homage to the life and works of Christopher Lee upon his recent passing. But, in true Hani style, I didn't actually get around to writing up the blog post until now!

We follow Inspector Holloway (John Bennett) as he is summoned to solve the disappearance of someone in the house. He goes to the local police station where he is told several tales of the house's strange past and we are taken along for the ride.

Each short is about the house's previous inhabitants. There are 4 shorts in all.

"Method for Murder" starring Denholm Elliot, Joanna Dunham and Tom Adams is about a horror writer who begins to see his new creation stalking him. It's a nicely realised piece with some quite disturbing stealth stalking and an ending very typical of British horror shorts. But in a good way.

"Waxworks" stars the legendary Peter Cushing and Joss Ackland who are both friends who become obsessed with a local waxwork museum's prime attraction: a beautiful murderess who looks like someone they once knew. It was a little slow in the uptake, but had a lovely proper feel to it that made up for that. And who doesn't love a good severed head on a plate?

"Sweets to the sweet" stars the wonderful Christopher Lee as a widower with a young daughter (Chloe Franks) whom he treats very strictly, not even allowing her to play with dolls. The daughter's new home-school teacher (Nyree Dawn Porter) thinks that he is being very unfair and buys the girl a doll.... Big mistake. My favourite of the collection because it went a way I wasn't completely expecting. The young Chloe Franks also did a fantastic job as the creepy child.

"The Cloak" is the final short and stars Jon Pertwee as a horror movie actor/diva, who has moved into the house whilst shooting a vampire film. He sources a strange black cloak from a local antiques and oddities shop ran by Geoffrey Bayldon, only to find that the cloak has special powers. His co-star is the fabulous Ingrid Pitt.

The pieces aren't ground breaking storytelling, but they are all well made, star studded and engaging. The film holds together well as an anthology and keeps the viewer interested.

Images: Amicus Productions

Hani

The Wax Mask

"The Wax Mask" (1997, Sergio Stivaletti, Dario Argento, Lucio Fulci, Cine 2000, Mediaset, France Film International, Italian International Film) is a wax museum film.

Fulci died making this film and so I'm not 100% sure how true the end result is to his script, but it is indeed a lot of fun to watch.

With a kind of incidental Steampunk style (incidental because, as far as I'm aware, there was no such genre as 'Steampunk' in 1997), The Wax Mask tells a tale set in 1900s Paris. We see a couple brutally (and hilariously) butchered by a man with a clawed metal hand. We also see a young girl, their daughter, cowering under the bed.

Years pass and said young girl is now a costume maker working at a wax museum. The museum has gained some disrepute due to its gory collection of sculptures and, after the death of a young man who was dared to stay the night, the museum becomes more and more creepy.

It's fun, gothic and a little gory. The effects are nice and the props are awesome. The story is a little average as far as wax museum films go, but there's a nice added Frankenstein element which is fun. 

I'm not a huge fan of the ending, however, which seemed a little diverted from the rest of the film's styling, and I think I prefer the Italian version with the subtitles to the dubbed English, which can make the acting seem a little odd.

All in all, worth your while, but not a great representation of Argento, Fulci or Stivaletti.

[Image: Cine 2000]

 

Hani

Munsters' Revenge

"The Munsters' Revenge" (1981, Universal Studios) is the made-for-TV film with original cast members Herman (Fred Gwynne), Lily (Yvonne De Carlo) and Grandpa (Al Lewis) Munster.

The Munster family have been immortalised as waxworks in a local museum. Unfortunately, these wax models are actually evil robots who wreak havoc all over town, resulting in Herman and Grandpa being blamed for the crimes and thrown in prison!

Can they clear their names before the big Munster Halloween party?

A fun little film which doesn't deviate from the characters, humour or styling of the original show and kept me suitably entertained on a long train ride.

[Image: Universal Studios]

Hani

Waxwork

"Waxwork" (1988, Anthony Hickox, Vestron Pictures) is a horror comedy about a waxwork museum which appears out of nowhere and who's morbid exhibits come to life to claim any visitors as new additions to the museum.

A group of unsuspecting teens are invited to the museum and find out the truth too late. Or is it?

Entertainingly low budget and very 80s, "Waxwork" takes inspiration from 1933s "Mystery of the Wax Museum" and 1953s "House of Wax", but with a more supernatural twist.

The cheesy charm of this film and the fact that it has both Patrick Macnee (Steed from "The Avengers") and Zach Galligan (of "Gremlins" fame) in it pleases me.

While it's not very creative and has its dull moments, the hilarious action scenes keep any B-movie fans engaged. Such examples include death by champagne bottle, a terribly English beheading and a battle between the monsters, their voodoo priest and man. All supplied with gloriously low budget gore and effects.

It's silly and fun, but nothing particularly special.

 

 

[Image: Vestron Pictures]

Hani

The House of Wax (2005)

"The House of Wax" (2005, Jaume Collet-Serra, Village Roadshow Pictures, Dark Castle Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures) is the modern remake of the 1953 horror (of which you can find my review here: http://horrorev.blogspot.ie/2012/07/house-of-wax-1953.html ), which was itself a remake of a previous film from 1933! (Which is also really good, but isn't a horror - more a murder mystery!)

Naturally, the 2005 version is sexed up, bloodied up and taken in a completely different, and somewhat more perverted, direction. Also, Paris Hilton is in it. But don't judge it on this fact alone!

At my High School Prom (back in ye olde 2006), we watched this film at my friend's house afterwards. We saw one particular clip 15 times on repeat. Three guesses as to which bit... Let me give you a hint, it involves Paris Hilton and a large spear.... Now you're thinking something really disturbing, aren't you? Filthy minds!

This film has suffered some terrible reviews over the years. I think it's main issue is people don't care about Wax museums any more, and not that many modern viewers (particularly the teenage group this film was aiming at) have heard of the Vincent Price or the '33 versions. The plot seems outlandish and odd to some. Unless you've been to Madame Tussaud's, however, and realised how freaky wax figures really are!!!

Following the common horror convention of a road trip (football game in this case), several promiscuous 20-something-year-olds, couples mostly, but you can't always tell in these types of films, get stuck. Their car then breaks down so they stop and camp for the night. During the night, the camp is disturbed by someone menacing in a truck.

In the morning, they split up (Excellent plan. No possible harm could come to anyone with this plan!), some staying with the broken Dodge and the others going in search of someone to sell them a new fan belt. The two who left the camp come across an odd little town called Ambrose, which is very quiet. They accidentally walk in on a funeral, and meet a mechanic called Bo (Brian Van Holt), who offers to help them once the service has ended. Feeling embarrassed, but glad of the offer, the two look around the local Waxwork museum (which is itself made of wax!). It's all very eerie... then we delve into the horror.

I got this film in a triple boxset which had the 1933 and 1953 versions in it, and as much as the 2005 version pales in comparison to the two classics (in regards to plot), this film has quite a lot going for it: It's gory, it has psychotics which overreach the polite boundaries trodden by Price in the '53 version, and it has Jared Padalecki in it (That's Sam Winchester from 'Supernatural' if you don't know already)! Not that I knew who the hell Jared Padalecki was in 2006, but it's one of the main reasons I keep this film on my shelf (aside from the gore of course!).

There are quite a lot of cheap scares and sheer bloody scenes, but that's what you're watching it for! And if it's not, then maybe you should be looking at a different genre? It doesn't exactly break any new ground, but I've never understood what makes it 'bad' in some people's books? It just seems like your average modern horror to me (boobs, blood and scares)! Plus, the plot is actually pretty disturbing, even if it's not very likely. Give it a try!

[Image: Village Roadshow Pictures & Dark Castle Entertainment]

Hani

House of Wax (1953)

"The House of Wax" (1953, Warner Bros. Pictures, André de Toth) is the remake of a movie called "Mystery of the Wax Museum" from 1933, and was itself remade again in 2005 (with the main best scene being Paris Hilton getting a spear through the head!).

Vincent Price stars as Professor Jarrod, a waxwork sculptor who owns a museum. His museum is criticised by his financial backer (Roy Roberts) for being boring and old fashioned. When Jarrod refuses to 'liven up' his exhibits, the backer sets the museum alight, clearly as a last ditch attempt to make some cash off of the insurance. In shock, and unable to leave his waxwork creations to burn alone, Jarrod is left in the flames, apparently to his doom.

Jarrod survives, however, but is wheelchair bound. He opens another waxwork museum with his helper, a deaf-mute name Igor (Charles Bronson).

Learning from previous lessons, Jarrod has a special 'Chamber of Horrors' section to his museum which is a big success. It features some older crimes and newer terrors. The crowds are loving it.

Suddenly, a disfigured killer is on the loose, seemingly avenging Jarrod's mishaps, by killing the backer. Unfortunately, a young woman is also killed.

When the young woman's friend recognises her deceased chum as one of the waxwork models things get hairy.

A very nicely executed film which tried hard to maintain the feeling of the 1910s.

The 2005 film kind of overdid the whole thing, but the 50s version kept some finesse to it. I really liked the feeling of this whole film and the eerie scenes on the streets are enjoyably atmospheric.

The character of Cathy Gray (Carolyn Jones) is just a silly little woman. Her voice is really very high pitched, too. But you do feel terribly for her friend Sue Allen (Phyllis Kirk) who, for a 50s horror female role, wasn't too helpless... well, I said TOO helpless!

Remember the period it was made in, though. It's a movie you switch the lights off to and grab a mug of hot chocolate.

[Picture: Warner Bros.]

Hani